I heard about the same rate from another child. Maybe the fairy could make a compromise with a little money and a little gift with it, (a small box of crayons, etc). I believe the more a child gets (money or expensive gifts) at a young age, the price will increase with time.

You must be a first-time mom, I'm on my second go-round playing tooth fairy and I want those teeth to stay in her little mouth as long as possible! It's starting to be a drag having to find a $5 bill(Yes, that the going rate here too...I should've saved that dough for orthodontics!) and stay up until the wee hours to do the switcheroo...have you been caught yet? Have you ever forgotten to get the tooth and leave the loot? LOL That's fun!
Lots of explaining with those situations...
All kidding aside, your fairy dust idea was great, I wish I had thought of that. Enjoy!

I have an interesting story about this actually. When I was little, my parents read me the book, "Santa Mouse" every year. In the book, Santa Mouse wants to help Santa but realized that he is only big enough to carry one present. So, every year he picks out one special child and picks them out a very special present and leaves it in their Christmas tree.

Don't you know that I looked in the tree for a present every year until I was about eight or nine. Do you think my parents thought to leave a present in the tree for me? NO!!! I was distraught about it. I doubt they ever knew, but if you read Santa Mouse to your kids, leave them a dang present in the tree!

I have sort of started telling her that the first front four top and bottom are the expensive ones!

haven't been caught she has a toothfairy pillow and it goes in there. The thing is she is still at that age where she thinks five one dollar bills is much better than a five dollar bill! So that is a hassle to go to the neighbor and try to break a five or ten!!

We read the polar express and so my daughter got a jingle bell one year.
I will have to remember that one Star ont he Santa Mouse! I wonder if we have that book?

I recently ordered my daughter a wand from the Alavenders site it's a harry potter wand and scarf and when the UPS guy delivered it he just rang the bell and left it. By the time my daughter got to the door he was gone and she is just sure an owl left it for her! I went with it and boy was that great! Kisses for that ups guy next time I catch his cute self!

well, my stepkid lost a tooth last year (summer of 2002) and told me she was wanting the toothfairy to come for it and leave her money. i told her that the toothfairy is really only used to finding her in washington at her mom's house, so she could save her tooth and take it back with her. she said, "if the toothfairy can't find me, then YOU give me money." and yeah... at that point, i killed off the toothfairy. i mean, my god. she was 10. at this point, people are going to start bagging on you for believing in the toothfairy and santa and the easter bunny. plus, she's got about 4 billion imaginary friends as it is... wouldn't hurt her to have one less imaginary thing in her life.

so yeah... i'm the evil stepmonster but i derived a really sick pleasure in doing it.....